Customer Reviews

Irving J. Gill: Architect, 1870 - 1936

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The photographs are wonderful. Unfortunately, Mr. Rand has not done his research. He misidentified houses, their dates of construction and owners. His book is filled with works by authors already published some years ago. It is a cobbling of misinformation and script available elsewhere. It looks thrown together. There is no index. I cannot recommend this book.

I have to agree that this book had a lot of very nice pictures but very little information. If you want a nice coffee table book it's fine, if you want to learn about Gill's work I would not recommend it.

Beautiful pictures, but if you want to know more about Irving Gill himself you should not by this book.

This is a beautiful book of Marvin Rand's particular photo-stylistic vision of Gill's work, although it is very limited on written information. I would also recommend the fantastic Thomas Hines "Irving Gill and the Architecture of Reform," as well as the absolutely-required Esther McCoy "Five California Architects" as compliments to Rand's photos. In the end, it's about Gill's stunningly simple and beautiful work. The images, the details, the lost masterpieces (Dodge House), etc. are all wonderfully captured here. I waited nearly a year to get this book, and I was not disappointed. That said, anything on the California modernist pioneers is generally an interesting book purchase. Recommended for fans of Richard Neutra, Gregory Ain as well as the pipe-smoking American Bungalow set.

After reading the negative review re: the source material; I'd have to agree in spirit, though not an expert, I was generally disappointed with the lack of information about the houses photographs. The photos are awesome. I don't know of any other books like this for Gill and for a long time you couldn't get this book on Amazon for less then 40 bucks or so.

I just received this book in the mail. It is a great accompaniment to the "Architecture of Reform" book especially because this book has beautiful large color photographs! Great book!

When you look at Irving Gill's work, you can almost feel the southern california sunshine and the ocean breezes caressing your skin. I for one love his work, expecially his Art Deco white houses, they just exude cool. This book is a wonderful tribute to the man and his work. The text is highly informative and the images are crisp and vivid. If you have any interest in southern california shiek or just talented people and their art, then I believe you will not be disappointed in this work.